


Favourite

by writtenbyfreckles



Series: Jily + Sirius (Post-Hogwarts) Moments [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Banter, F/M, Friendship, Humour, Marauders era, Post Hogwarts, Wartime, brootp, jily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:28:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27539914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writtenbyfreckles/pseuds/writtenbyfreckles
Summary: Sirius and Lily hang out together.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & Lily Evans Potter
Series: Jily + Sirius (Post-Hogwarts) Moments [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2081766
Comments: 29
Kudos: 102





	Favourite

**Author's Note:**

> Oops! I meant to do several Sirivember prompts but this might be my only one!  
> I fell in love with Sirius & Lily's friendship awhile ago, and Jilytober only strengthened that, when I had to keep adding James in to the picture to make sure it met the Jilytober criteria.  
> He makes a guest appearance here, but it's really just for form's sake.

She heard the knock and ignored it.

She heard the front door open and ignored it.

The kettle clicked on, mugs chinked as they were placed on the bench.

The fridge opened and closed, and then opened and closed again.

A cup of tea was placed on the coffee table in front of her. It was in her favourite mug, grey with a speckled glaze, rounded to fit perfectly in your hands

A weight settled next to her on the couch, another mug placed on the coffee table.

Silence filled the air around them as they watched the mugs cool in front of them.

Eventually, begrudgingly, Lily picked up hers and took a sip.

Next to her, he did the same, releasing a relieved breath.

“I’m still mad at you,” she grumbled, placing the mug back down.

“I know,” he acknowledged.

“You should have told me.”

“I should have.”

“You shouldn’t have gone behind my back.”

“I shouldn’t have.”

“This wasn’t a secret that should have been kept.”

“I gave my word.”

“You should have broken it.”

“I couldn’t. I would never.”

“I’m your best friend!”

“And he’s my brother,” Sirius shot her a glare. “This isn’t exactly an easy situation to be in.”

“You prioritised my safety over his,” Lily glared back. “Do you know what it feels like that the two people you love most in the world, don’t believe in you?”

“Of course, we believe in you.”

“That’s why you left me out of this decision? Didn’t even bother to tell me he was going until it was too late? Because you believe I could have handled it.”

“I know you can hold your own, Lily. You’re one of the best in the Order. That’s not what this was about.”

“What’s it about then?” Lily hated that her voice broke. It sounded weak. Pitiful. “Why did you keep this from me? Why did he?”

“Because it was so soon. You’ve barely gotten over Dover. We didn’t want anything to happen to you again.”

“We were all there.”

“But you were the one they tortured,” Sirius leant forward, hands in his head, fingers pulling at his long hair. Lily had never seen him play with it before. “You were the one they targeted and we had to watch. Do you think that was easy for either for us? But especially James?”

“It’s not like it was a joy for me either,” Lily muttered.

“Which is why he did this. He couldn’t bear the thought of having anything happen to you because of him.”

“It wasn’t his fault.”

“They used you, thinking it would break us. Thinking it would break him,” Sirius finally looked back up at her. His eyes were pleading and pained. “They knew that we would do anything, give them anything to stop what they were doing to you.”

“But you didn’t,” Lily placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Only because you threw off that curse with so much magic you knocked them all out,” Sirius shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like what you did. So, believe me, this wasn’t about you not being strong enough. It was about how weak we both are. And not wanting to feel that again.”

Lily’s arm slipped around his back as she moved to rest her head against his shoulder instead, leaning into him. Sirius placed hand on her knee, squeezing gently as he leant back into her.

“You should have told me,” she said softly, the previous anger and accusation banished from her voice.

Sirius turned his head to drop a kiss on the top of her hair, “I know.”

“You shouldn’t have kept it a secret.”

“I know.”

“But I understand.”

Sirius kissed her head again, before turning to pull her into his arms, settling them back into the couch cushions. “Thank you.”

They were silent for a long while, staring towards the glowing embers in the fireplace when Sirius spoke again, “Are you still mad at him?”

Lily exhaled heavily, “I guess not. But I’m still going to give him hell if he makes it back from this.”

“When,” Sirius squeezed her hand where it rested on his stomach. “When he makes it back.”

“Knight to E5.”

“Bishop to F6.”

“Rook takes queen. Check.”

“You’re not getting out of this, you know.”

“I taught you to play this game, Evans. Don’t forget that,” Sirius surveyed the table between them. He raised a hand toward a piece, but paused, and lowered it again.

“Maybe the student has become the Master?” Lily raised an eyebrow challengingly.

“No, no, there’s a way out of this,” Sirius rested his head on clenched fists, elbows braced against the table.

Lily took a mouthful of her wine and smiled mockingly, “Anytime now.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, yeeeaaah,” Lily wailed to the music as she twisted around the living room.

“Doo doo doo,” Sirius stepped back and forth, wiggling his hips and circling his arms as he provided the backbeat.

“Shoobbeeee shoobeee,” Lily shook her shoulders back and forth, trying not to spill her firewhiskey.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Sirius body rolled impressively, moving back across the floor with each one.

“Put your haaaaands up,” Lily waved her arms around, and Sirius followed suit.

“And the spin,” Sirius cried. He held out a hand to Lily, who took it and let him pull her into a twirl. As her back hit his chest, he stole the glass from her other hand and swigged.

“Hey,” Lily cried, trying to steal it back.

“Gotta be on your toes, Evans,” he grinned, draining the glass.

“Or know where the extra bottles are kept,” Lily smirked as she headed for the kitchen.

“No, it says to add the baking soda first, and let it froth before you add it to the mixture.”

“Warm the milk first, that’s all I’m saying.”

“I think I know how to make banana bread, Sirius. Who of us didn’t grow up with house elves here?”

“I’ll have you know, I make this for Moony all the time.”

“You don’t even have an oven!”

“At his mum’s place. I’ve got to do something while they talk about history and art, don’t I?”

“You could join in.”

“It’s like you don’t even know me.”

“Make an effort, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Oh, like how you watch Quidditch with the Potters?”

“I attend!”

“You read at least three books a match, and we both know it.”

“The games are so long.”

“Are you going to warm the milk or not?”

“Bloody hell, fine.”

“It really is quite good banana bread, you know.”

“Flattery will not help you now, Evans. You’re still on clean up.”

“Fine.”

_Donk_

_Donk_

_Donk_

_Donk_

“Do you think they’ll be back soon?” Lily bounced the wall back toward the wall as she spoke.

_Donk_

Sirius caught the rebound in his hand, tossing it back to the wall as he replied, “Hope so.”

_Donk_

“Do you know where they were going?”

_Donk_

“Wouldn’t tell me.”

_Donk_

“Did they say what they were doing?”

_Donk_

“Didn’t tell me that either.”

_Donk_

“How long it should take?”

_Donk_

“Nope.”

_Donk_

“I can’t believe they wouldn’t tell you anything.”

_Donk_

“And risk me going after him?”

_Donk_

“True.”

_Donk_

_Donk_

_Donk_

Lily padded out of her bedroom and into the dark living room. She curled her bare feet into the plush rug and pulled at her pyjama bottoms as she contemplated the man on the couch.

Sirius either heard her coming or felt her gaze as he turned onto his back on the enlarged cushions and opened his eyes to look at her. “Can’t sleep?”

Lily shook her head.

Sirius smiled softly, turning onto his side. He lifted the blanket covering him and patted the space next to him. Lily smiled gratefully and crossed the room. She lay down next to him, facing toward the fire. The blanket settled around her and Sirius’ arm hugged her stomach to pull her in close.

“He’ll be okay, Lil. He has to be.”

Lily kept watching the glowing embers as she listened to his breathing deepen again.

She heard the wards go off but it sounded as if in a dream.

She heard the front door open but couldn’t wake herself.

She heard footsteps move across the room but couldn’t get her eyes to open.

Sirius’ arm tightened against her, a comforting weight she couldn’t shake.

“Should I be jealous?”

Lily’s eyes flew open, to see James standing in front of the fire, looking at them both with raised eyebrows. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of him, filthy, exhausted, _home._

“That’s what happens when you leave her unattended, mate,” Sirius responded dryly from behind her. “She moves on.”

James rolled his eyes, “If she did, it wouldn’t be with you.”

“Want to bet?”

“Hush, Sirius,” Lily put an elbow into his stomach, but he only chuckled as she shrugged off his arm and struggled to sit up. “You’re home.”

James nodded, his eyes soft but wary, “I am.”

“Are you okay?”

“Are you?”

“I wasn’t the one out on a mission.”

“No. You weren’t,” James regarded her from across the coffee table. “I figured you’d be mad about that.”

“I was.”

“And now?”

Lily stared at him, really looked. She saw the concern, the anxiety in his eyes. It overrode the fatigue he must have been feeling. That her feelings were important than whatever he’d just been through made her melt, “Now, I’m glad you came home.”

James seemed to sag with relief as Lily stepped onto the coffee table to get to him, not wanting to waste time going around it. He met her before she could step off, lifting her clear of it with strong arms around her middle. Lily’s legs hooked around his waist, arms twisting behind his head. Their lips met in the space between them, solid, firm and real. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it packed a punch, and when it was over Lily rested her forehead against his, eyes still closed as she breathed him in.

“Yeah, you’re really giving him that telling off, Evans,” Sirius remarked from behind them.

Lily’s eyes opened, seeing hazel dancing back at her. She slid down James’ body until her feet came to rest on the floor. She turned, but couldn’t move far as her husband refused to relinquish his hold on her.

"You’re interrupting,” she glared. "And it's Potter, remember?"

“I thought I was going to see the firecracker in action,” Sirius smirked back at her. “Not this lovey dovey shit.”

“Weren’t you the one who said I shouldn’t be mad at him?”

“Since when do you listen to anything I say?”

“Well, as long as it’s not chess advice.”

“That was one bad game –“

“I hate to interrupt,” Though she couldn’t see it, Lily could hear the eyeroll in James’ tone, “But I’ve just come back from a hell of a mission. I could do without your squabbles.”

“It’s a lover’s tiff, stay out of it,” Sirius fired back.

“You two are not lovers, for the last time,” James said exasperatedly.

“She’d have me in a second if I made a play,” Sirius crossed his arms confidently.

“Good job you’re in love with Moony, then, huh? Now, shove off,” James pulled Lily even closer to him. “She might not be mad right now, but I’m guessing I’ve got some making up to do.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright. I see how it is,” Sirius grumbled as he made his way to his feet. He mimicked a higher tone, “ _She’s going to kill me, Padfoot. Talk her out of it, won’t you. Don’t let her follow me._ Pfffff. This is the thanks I get for not letting her out of my sight and making sure you get a hero-worthy homecoming. Ungrateful, the lot of you. Well, I’ll be off then, see you two-”

“Wait,” Lily pulled herself from James’ arms, despite his noise of protest.

Sirius paused in his monologue, his hand on the door. “Yes, Red?”

Lily ignored his haughty tone and pulled him into a hug. He resisted for a second before returning it, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I would have gone crazy by myself.”

“Anytime. Not sure you aren’t crazy already, though,” he whispered back. “Casting your lot in with that oaf.”

“True.”

“I can hear you.”

“Get out of our moment,” Sirius raised his head to glare at his brother. He lifted Lily in their hug, twirling her in a circle before setting her down and stepping back. “All yours, Prongs.”

“Cheers mate,” James stepped forward to clap Sirius on the shoulder, even as he wrapped his other arm around Lily. “Appreciate it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sirius headed for the door, and they could still hear his voice as he went down the hall.

“I’m still her favourite.” 

**Author's Note:**

> What'd you think? Let me know if you want more Sirius & Lily over at my tumblr, I love getting asks! Tumbledfreckles xxx


End file.
